


The Rising of the Moon

by Artikaa



Category: Tales of Berseria
Genre: F/F, Sad Ending, Tragedy, beginning spoilers, talesfemslashweek2017
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-20
Updated: 2017-07-20
Packaged: 2018-12-04 19:31:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 668
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11561835
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Artikaa/pseuds/Artikaa
Summary: Velvet and Niko were impossibly happy.Until the blood moon rose.For tales of femslash week 2017!Prompt: Tragedy





	The Rising of the Moon

Velvet kicked her feet in the open air above the cliff face, the water below crashing against the rocks. She wasn’t afraid of the height, or the rocks, or falling. She was just there, on the side of the cliff, existing. Niko sat beside her, their fingers intertwined. The sun was setting, casting brilliant purple and red shades across the sky. The clouds mingled with the color, creating a picture-perfect scene before them.

“How corny would it be,” said Niko, “if I told you I’d never seen anything so beautiful, but I was talking about you instead of the sunset.”

“Pretty corny,” Velvet replied. “Why? Are you going to say it?”

“I was thinking about it.”

“Me too.”

Niko giggled, tightening her fingers around Velvet’s hand. “Maybe I won’t, then. I think it would be more cute if you said it.”

Velvet smiled, the setting sun warming her cheeks. “Niko,” she said, “you’re the most beautiful woman I’ve ever met.”

“And what about ‘will ever meet’? that’s kind of important, too.”

“Don’t get cocky.” Velvet shouldered the other woman, and Niko leaned her head down to rest it in the crook of Velvet’s neck.

“I want to stay like this forever,” she said, her breath tickling Velvet’s ear.

“Me too,” Velvet said, “but it’ll be dark soon. I shouldn’t worry Laphi and Arthur.”

“You’re such a goody two shoes,” Niko said, smirking. “Why don’t you come back to my place?”

“Mmm. Tempting.” Velvet placed a hand on Niko’s cheek, lifting her face so she could kiss her. “I think I’ll make a quiche tomorrow.”

“I want a piece of your quiche right now.” Niko winked.

Velvet grimaced. “That was bad, never say that again.”

Both women laughed, kissing between fits of giggles until the sun was barely brushing the horizon and they had to head back. Niko walked Velvet home, and they spent another ten minutes sitting beside each other on the front step exchanging kisses.

“I’ll see you tomorrow,” Velvet said softly. “I love you.”

“Love you, too. Goodnight!” Niko leaned forward for a final kiss, and then she was gone.

The next night, when they moon rose red, their perfect world shifted into darkness.

Velvet screamed into the grass, clutching dirt between the fingers of one hand and the talons of the other. Her face was wet with tears as her head snapped up to the figure of Artorius standing before the hole he had forced her down. Her and Laphi _both_.

Except Laphi hadn’t come back out. But, oh, _she_ did. And with every fiber of her body, she swore she would live to make Artorius regret not killing her properly.

As she turned to him, her blood boiling through the new extension to the arm he had severed, what was now her demon arm, monsters came to his side. Velvet screamed in anger, ripping through the bodies of demons one by one, until they all lay at her feet. Their blood ran between the talons of her claw, and she felt their power surge through her as she consumed them.

As the bodies hit the dirt, Velvet spun to Artorius, but he spoke calmly, as though watching her murderous rampage had not phased him in the least.

“Look around,” he said.

Velvet’s eyes fell to the ground, where the bodies of demons lay only a second ago—but now, in their place, were the bodies of the villagers. “No,” she said, barely audible as her eyes ran over the mauled bodies and familiar faces. Where was she? Velvet prayed she wasn’t there, _prayed_ to a god she no longer was sure she believed in, but when her desperate gaze found Niko’s face, her eyes lifeless, her body marked with four deep cuts, Velvet collapsed.

“Niko,” she whispered, taking the woman’s body into her lap. Her human hand caressed her cheek and flitted to her wounds, hesitating above them. “ _Please_.”

But Niko was dead by her hand.

And her gods were nowhere to be seen.


End file.
